ain't

[eynt]

1. Nonstandard except in some dialects.,  contraction of am not; are not; is not.

2. Nonstandard.,  contraction of have not; has not; do not; does not; did not.

ain't

/ eɪnt /

contraction

1. am not, is not, are not, have not, or has not

   I ain't seen it

Usage

As a substitute for am not, is not, and are not in declarative sentences, ain't is more common in uneducated speech than in educated, but it occurs with some frequency in the informal speech of the educated, especially in the southern and south-central states. This is especially true of the interrogative use of ain't I? as a substitute for the formal and—to some—stilted am I not? or for aren't I?, considered by some to be ungrammatical, or for the awkward—and rare in American speech— amn't I? Some speakers avoid any of the preceding forms by substituting Isn't that so ( true, the case ) ? Ain't occurs in humorous or set phrases: Ain't it the truth! She ain't what she used to be. It ain't funny. The word is also used for emphasis: That just ain't so! It does not appear in formal writing except for deliberate effect in such phrases or to represent speech. As a substitute for have not or has not and—occasionally in Southern speech— do not, does not, and did not, it is nonstandard except in similar humorous uses: You ain't heard nothin' yet! See also aren't.

Word History and Origins

Origin of ain't¹

First recorded in 1770–80; variant of amn't (contraction of am not ) by loss of m and raising with compensatory lengthening of a; aren't

Example Sentences

He sparked controversy in June when he criticized Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” album on stage, brandishing a bottle while saying “that s— ain’t country music, and it ain’t never been country music and it ain’t never gonna be country music.”

From Los Angeles Times

"Bud is going to punch him up - Crawford is a unique fighter. He ain't the most powerful puncher but he's strong. Good technique, physically strong, very accurate. He's defensively sound, can fight southpaw and orthodox. Bud is tough, he doesn't mind getting tagged also. We're overlooking age and speed. Bud doesn't mind keeping it that way and boxing if he has to. Canelo is tough and has taken bigger shots from bigger guys so you never know."

From BBC

"It's tough to call because I know there is a size difference but Crawford ain't no mug, some people jump up weight classes just for the pay days but Crawford is different and I can see him nicking the fight to be honest. He is smaller but he's game, I'm going to go with him."

From BBC

Compare the words of “Norwegian Wood” with such earlier phraseology as “I ain’t got nothing but love, babe / Eight days a week,” and Lennon and McCartney’s development on “Rubber Soul” as poets and storytellers becomes resoundingly clear.

From Salon

“It ain’t brain surgery,” Burton said in 2021 of the art of turning a bill into a law.

From Los Angeles Times